dash

1 of 2

verb

dashed; dashing; dashes

intransitive verb

1
: to move with sudden speed
dashed down the hallway
2
: smash
waves dashing against the rocks

transitive verb

1
: to break by striking or knocking
angrily dashed the bouquet of flowers against the table
2
a
: ruin, destroy
The news dashed his hopes.
c
: to make ashamed
dashed by her scorn
3
: to complete, execute, or finish off hastily
used with down or off
dashed down a drink
dash off a letter
… he dashed off the book in eight weeks …Paul Fussell
4
: to knock, hurl, or thrust violently
dashed water onto his face
a boat that had been dashed against the rocks
5
: splash, spatter
Her pants were dashed with mud.
6
: to affect by mixing in something different
His delight was dashed with bitterness.
7
[euphemism] : damn entry 1 sense 4
Dash it all!

dash

2 of 2

noun

1
a
grammar : a punctuation mark — that is used especially to indicate a break in the thought or structure of a sentence
b
: a stroke of a pen
2
: a small usually distinctive addition
a dash of salt
a dash of humor
3
a
: a sudden onset, rush, or attempt
make a dash for shelter
b
sports : a short fast race
won the 100-meter dash
4
: animation in style and action
the verve and dash of her personal writings
5
automotive vehicles : dashboard sense 2
Put the map on the dash.
6
: a long click or buzz forming a letter or part of a letter (as in Morse code)
a combination of dots and dashes
7
: flashy display
really cuts a dash in his new suit
8
a(1)
: a sudden burst or splash
a dash of rain
(2)
: the sound produced by such a burst
b
archaic : blow

Examples of dash in a Sentence

Verb I'm sorry, but I must dash. I'm late. She dashed down the hallway to the bathroom. People were dashing inside to get out of the rain. The waves dashed the boat against the rocks. Her hopes of winning a medal were dashed after she broke her leg. Noun We made a dash for the exit. the cavalry officer's dash and enthusiasm inspired his men to follow him into battle
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Dastmalchian makes a dashing host, with the Cairnes giving him a dark side as well. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton’s dashing Duke of Hastings; Henry Golding, who won hearts in Crazy Rich Asians; and Lashana Lynch, who took on the 007 code name in the latest blockbuster while Bond was in exile. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2024 Young’s office earlier had turned down a request for a formal interview, unaware one of the journalists from the London paper was a dashing earl. Bill McGraw, Detroit Free Press, 17 Mar. 2024 Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa Go dashing through the snow — on a sleigh, cross-country skis, or with a pair of snowshoes strapped to your feet. Brittany Anas, The Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2024 As proven by Oprah and a slew of stars, crossbody bags are perfect for days filled with dashing about town and multitasking to the max. Jennifer Chan, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Yet despite the dashing presence of Theo James as the unexpected heir to a cannabis empire, the net result blows by briskly enough but yields relatively few highs. Brian Lowry, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024 So when the flying squirrel bravely dashed across the nest, Jackie was ready to protect her eggs. Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 Rather than take a long walk around, some locals clamber over the tracks and dash across four lanes of 65-mph traffic. USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
Noun
In Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine, which spanned Feb. 29-March 3, Schrader tweaked his hamstring running the 40-yard dash and ended up posting a 4.61-second time. Calum McAndrew, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024 Former walk-on defensive back Alex Johnson ran a 40-yard dash in the 4.4-second range, Foster reported, along with a 4.5-second sprint from outside linebacker Carl Jones Jr. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 Their romance is genuinely winning—crucial, given that Love Lies Bleeding subjects them to criminality, violence, and even a dash of paranormal body horror. David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024 In these landscapes, naturalism and abstraction often battle to a pulsating draw by means of a magnified, or coarsened pointillism that recalls Seurat in its mosaic-like array of dots, dashes and commas. Roberta Smith, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 The wide receivers available could be enticing with an early pick The 40-yard dash is always the highlight of the combine testing and the wide receivers once again put on a show. Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2024 Putting yourself out there and making a difference requires all of them, along with a dash of grace. Melinda Fouts, Ph.d., Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Katelyn Espino, Foothill track and field: Espino won the 400-meter dash at the Morisoli/White Invitational over the weekend with a time of 1:01.88. Isabella Flores, Piedmont Hills softball: Flores threw a no-hitter and struck out eight batters on 99 pitches in a 2-0 win over Cupertino. Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 This confidence comes as at the 2024 USATF Indoor Championships, Noah Lyles set his personal best in the 60-meter dash. Paras Jan, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dash.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English dasshen, probably from Middle French dachier to impel forward

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 8b

Time Traveler
The first known use of dash was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dash

Cite this Entry

“Dash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dash. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dash

1 of 2 verb
1
: to knock, hurl, or thrust violently
the storm dashed the boat against a reef
2
: to break by striking or knocking
dashed a plate against the wall
3
4
: destroy sense 1, ruin
dash one's hopes
5
: to affect by mixing in something different
the sauce was dashed with vinegar
6
: to perform or finish hastily
dash off a letter
7
: to move with sudden speed
dashed upstairs
dasher noun

dash

2 of 2 noun
1
: a sudden burst or splash
a dash of cold water
2
a
: a stroke of a pen
b
: a punctuation mark — that is used chiefly to indicate a break in the thought or structure of a sentence
3
: a small usually special and noticeable addition
add a dash of salt
4
: liveliness in style and action
a leader of dash and vigor
5
a
: a sudden rush or attempt
made a dash for the exit
b
: a short fast race
6
: a long click or buzz forming a letter or part of a letter (as in Morse code)
7

Medical Definition

DASH

noun
ˈdash
: a diet that is designed to lower blood pressure and emphasizes the consumption of fruit, vegetables, grains, and low-fat or non-fat dairy products
Etymology

Noun

dietary approaches to stop hypertension

More from Merriam-Webster on dash

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